This is kind of a random question. I have two identical looking 70cm curtis race fins in my garage. One I know came with a starboad start and the other has a picture of tiki on it so they should have similar origins.

On the top one says "C" and then some numbers, he other "S" and then some numbers. Is there any meaning to the "C" and "S" in terms of hardness and softness or is it just some random serial number. I could imagine "S" is soft. The 64cm drake race fin I got with my f-type says "ST" and then some numbers, maybe standard?

Am I just trying to find meaning in tea leaves or is there a system here?

Hi Matthew,
I&#39;m not sure if the writing you ask about is descriptive or not.
I&#39;m pretty sure it has some significance (or they wouldn&#39;t take the time to write is) but what exactly it means I do not know.
I&#39;ll ask for some clarification from Tiesda.
Be patient, as he&#39;s a busy guy.
Hope this helps,

Hi Matthew,
According to Tiesda You, the Starboard design guru, the numbers on the top of the fin are probably:
"a combination of the fin&#39;s serial number and the date of completion".
Exactly what the S or ST stands for (it probably means it&#39;s a "Starboard" fin design") we do not kknow.
So, It&#39;s not complete gibberish, but it also doesn&#39;t stater anything significant about the fin or it&#39;s design criteria.
I&#39;d hoped for a clearer answer ( I&#39;d like to know as well) but even Tiesda at Starboard HQ in Bangkok isn&#39;t completely sure what the numbers actually mean.
I&#39;ll have a look at the numbers on the fins for my "07 demo fleet and see if I can make any sense of it.
Hope this helps,

The serial numbers on more recent fins are made from a combination of the date of manufacture plus the actual consequetive number of fins made of that model. On the earlier fins, the serial numbers were made up differently and included some letters too. The letter actually indicates the brand group (S or ST for Starboard). The system has changed over the years but the serial never indicated anything about the fin&#39;s flex characteristics.

Hi o2bnme,
Well, you are a light weight, and you have a pretty wide board (96 cm) so to get planing the earliest, the &#39;03 70 cm Drake is probably the correct tool. That was the stock fin on Formula 147/117 and the J&Y
ASA FE 156.
Not a bad fin at all.
Good to get you going early, but I&#39;d bet you would like a 66 cm Deboichet Concept even better once the windspeed gets above 10 knots.
That fin was not particularly stiff (as far as 70 cm Formula fins go) but
it had a good foil, and for your purposes and at your weight the softer flex is probably better as it helps to get you planing earlier as you get
a bit more "push" as the fin straightens out after each pump, and it "foot pumps" better also.
It was the "state of the art" OEM formula fin at the time and I do believe that Deboichet had something to do with that design.
In < 10 knots, it&#39;s appropriate for you size. In more than 10 knots, on the F-Type 148, it&#39;s awfully big and I would expect some control issues at around 15 knots.
For a 200 lb. (90.7 Kg.) sailor, the 70 cm would be a fairly good fin.
I&#39;ve used that fin on the FE 156 while racing in Thailand a few years back and I wished I had though to bring my Deboichet Concept 66 cm as it would have suited my size alot better.
Hope this helps,

Thanks Roger. Deboichet has his name on the side of that fin. You gave me the information I was after... when I should plan on using this fin versus other options. I agree, it seems like a great fin for me in lighter winds. I have a 66cm Curtis Carve that works ok for when the wind picks up. I&#39;m not sure if this is the best option for me, but it works ok.

Deboichet&#39;s web site still mentions it is 2005 products, not even 2006. How would I got about picking a better option relative to my Carve 66cm? What characteristics should I be considering in the shape of the fin?

So far, with the 70cm fin installed, I&#39;ve gotten the F-Type 148 up to 26.4mph. The waters were pretty flat, and things were pretty easy to control.

I have experienced tailwalking with this fin and have to admit my calves were pretty sore the next day. ;-)